The subtleties of finishing the balcony outside

If you look with bated breath at balconies with a beautiful exterior, and such objects cause a feeling of envy and admiration, you should know that your balcony can also easily be transformed, becoming a source of pride. We will reveal all the subtleties of the external finishing of the balcony further.

Finishing the balcony from the outside carries an extensive functionality. After studying all the advantages, no one will have any doubts about the relevance of external finishing.

1. External transformation of the balcony, giving it freshness and aesthetics.
2. Cladding from the street allows you to organize high-quality protection against influences of various nature (precipitation, wind, sun, mechanical damage) for the outer surface of the balcony and its inner space.
3. Finishing on the outside allows you to create additional insulation.
4. Protection of the base of the structure, which is usually made up of slabs and cement sheathing. The base in externally finished balconies lasts much longer.
5. Improvement of external balconies due to the cladding of the outer side.

Do not rush to start finishing the balcony. First, you have to solve the problem of choosing a material. The modern building materials market offers many options that are suitable for these purposes. Not all of them are equally good, so you have to study each option and choose the best one.

• Plastic lining is the most affordable material, is produced in a large assortment and is made to order by many companies. Such plastic panels are attached to a metal or wooden crate. Installation takes a minimum of time, does not require the use of professional tools and the help of a specialist. When choosing this material, one should take into account its fragility, which makes transportation inconvenient, and the ability to lose color from exposure to sunlight. And also due to their lightness, the panels can be torn off by strong gusts of wind.

• Metal siding used very often for such purposes. With high durability and excellent strength, this material is relatively affordable. The service life is 50 years, metal siding does not burn, retains its external characteristics, despite exposure to sunlight, alkalis and acids. Operation of metal siding is possible in the temperature range from -50 to +80 degrees Celsius. It is very simple to work with this material; professional skills and special tools are not required.

• Professional sheet or professional flooring called galvanized sheets with a corrugated surface. This option will cost more than plastic lining, but reliability and durability are also at a high level here. Against the background of such characteristics, the low weight of the profiled sheets becomes an excellent advantage. With careful use, the corrugated board can last up to 50 years. You can easily find the right option from a huge assortment.

• Vinyl siding is held in high esteem by many specialists. This material is highly resistant to various external influences, which allows it to maintain its appearance and performance for a long time. Vinyl siding is resistant to corrosion. Care consists in washing with conventional detergents. It burns poorly, is characterized by an environmentally friendly composition, does not crack and withstand high temperatures in the negative and positive ranges. The only thing that confuses the user is the high cost.

• Polycarbonate - an excellent option for glazing and external decoration of balconies. This material has many advantages, among which the most important are strength, durability, environmental friendliness, ability to scatter sunlight and easy installation. It will be pleasant to be inside a balcony with such decoration even on hot days.

• Frameless glazing is gaining popularity... Although such cladding is very expensive, it looks impressive and stylish. The technology provides for the arrangement of windows across the entire width of the balcony. It is important to install tempered glass, which is highly durable. The choice of this type of finish must be approached consciously, because glass has lower energy-saving properties compared to other materials.

You cannot ignore the only material that is better not to be used for the exterior decoration of the balcony. It's about a tree. Let it have no equal for other purposes, but in our case the tree is not suitable for several parameters at once. The tree is not highly resistant to moisture and infrared radiation. In addition, it ignites quickly and burns well.

The balcony is the face of the owner, the object of his pride and one of the ways to demonstrate his skills. That's why the appearance of the balcony needs to be given maximum attention, to think over its design in advance, to take into account every little thing. The modern market for building materials and the opportunities that open up to each user make it possible to create unique creations without much difficulty.

Our selection of interesting ideas will help you decide on the choice of the very design that you have dreamed of for a long time.

• Wood is a popular building material with many uses. Such a choice in most cases is a good solution, but not for the exterior decoration of balconies. Although wood cannot be used for balconies, there are many siding options that very accurately mimic natural material. Vinyl, metal or plastic materials will create a spectacular wooden balcony without the use of wood.

• The color of the structure can be very different. - from classic shades to bold and original. Many companies can paint siding, panels or sheets in any color. Moreover, it will not be difficult to repaint the balcony yourself.

• The glazed balcony not only looks beautiful. This design has high functional properties, and it will always be warm and dry inside. With well-organized thermal insulation and sealing, a comfortable temperature will remain on the balcony even in winter. The balcony needs large windows - in this case, it will look harmonious and effective, and not resemble a birdhouse.

• You can close the balcony without glazing - this option is still relevant. Lovers of free space prefer to make an open balcony. In such structures, there is no need for insulation, but it is necessary to think in detail about the structure of the roof and visor so that water does not get inside. For open balconies, forged elements are often chosen that go well with polycarbonate.

There are no problems with balconies located on the first floors. This option is the easiest and safest. Even objects on the second floors are easy to work with, since you can use the stairs or install scaffolding. Cladding balconies that are located above the second floor is a difficult and dangerous job.

You can turn to specialists who are trained in this kind of work, but it will be expensive. Such costs will not be appropriate if you try to do this work yourself. In this case, it is imperative to follow the safety rules that will help to avoid accidents:

• the territory is fenced under the balcony, which will limit the passage for other people;
• we hang warning signs;
• we provide ourselves and the assistant with safe working conditions - it can be scaffolding, a parapet, equipment used by climbers.

Take your time to get to work. First, it is worth preparing the tools that will be needed for the exterior decoration. It will be inconvenient to interrupt work to find a screwdriver or hammer. When everything is at hand, work gets done faster:

• a tape measure and a level will allow you to quickly and accurately take measurements;
• a hacksaw for wood with fine teeth is required for mounting a wooden frame;
• hacksaw and scissors - for working with metal;
• hammer drill and drills - for working with different materials;
• screwdriver;
• hammer;
• stapler and staples to it;
• Bulgarian.

The external cladding of the balcony, like any other work, requires preparation. This is especially true for old structures that have not been renovated for several years or even decades. The essence of the preparatory work will be as follows:

• we check the condition and quality of the floors;
• we study the base plates;
• if necessary, we carry out a major overhaul of the structure;
• we carry out cleaning of the base plate;
• remove debris, dust and other contaminants from joints and cracks, weld them and restore tightness;
• dismantle old railings and coverings;
• we clean metal parts and cover with soil;
• the base is concreted to create a flat surface.

Do not think that sheathe a balcony is a difficult job that only a professional can handle. It is enough to know some subtleties, be able to own the basic tool and follow the work plan. Although each of the materials described above has installation features, the main stages of work are common to all cases.

1. Regardless of what material will be used for sheathing, work begins with the lathing. It will serve as the basis for the cladding material. For the frame, you can use wood or metal. Both options are equal. Both wood and iron must be treated with a protective agent, which will extend the life of the entire structure. The lathing must be placed strictly perpendicular to the sheathing material - this will help the building level.
2. We attach the first strip of siding or sheathing sheet to the finished frame. It is very important to evenly position the first sheathing element, since further installation will depend on its location. Self-tapping screws are usually used to fix the exposed element. They should be located strictly in the center of the siding or panel.
3. The next element is inserted into the first and closed with a lock connection. The upper part of the panel is fixed with self-tapping screws. There is no need to make a high density of fastening - it should be at an average level.
4. Leave a gap of about 0.5 mm between the panels. This trick will avoid deformation of the cladding material as a result of its natural expansion and contraction, depending on fluctuations in air temperature.

For the technology of external finishing of the balcony, see the following video.